[House Report 115-186]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
115th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session } { 115-186
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PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE BILL (H.R. 1873) TO AMEND THE
FEDERAL LAND POLICY AND MANAGEMENT ACT OF 1976 TO ENHANCE THE
RELIABILITY OF THE ELECTRICITY GRID AND REDUCE THE THREAT OF WILDFIRES
TO AND FROM ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION FACILITIES ON
FEDERAL LANDS BY FACILITATING VEGETATION MANAGEMENT ON SUCH LANDS, AND
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE BILL (H.R. 1654) TO AUTHORIZE THE
SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TO COORDINATE FEDERAL AND STATE PERMITTING
PROCESSES RELATED TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW SURFACE WATER STORAGE
PROJECTS ON LANDS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE SECRETARY OF THE
INTERIOR AND THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE AND TO DESIGNATE THE BUREAU
OF RECLAMATION AS THE LEAD AGENCY FOR PERMIT PROCESSING, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
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June 20, 2017.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be
printed
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Mr. Newhouse, from the Committee on Rules, submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H. Res. 392]
The Committee on Rules, having had under consideration
House Resolution 392, by a nonrecord vote, report the same to
the House with the recommendation that the resolution be
adopted.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS OF THE RESOLUTION
The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 1873, the
Electricity Reliability and Forest Protection Act, under a
structured rule. The resolution provides one hour of general
debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking
minority member of the Committee on Natural Resources. The
resolution waives all points of order against consideration of
the bill. The resolution makes in order as original text for
the purpose of amendment the amendment in the nature of a
substitute recommended by the Committee on Natural Resources
now printed in the bill and provides that it shall be
considered as read. The resolution waives all points of order
against that amendment in the nature of a substitute. The
resolution makes in order only those further amendments printed
in part A of this report. Each such amendment may be offered
only in the order printed in this report, may be offered only
by a Member designated in this report, shall be considered as
read, shall be debatable for the time specified in this report
equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an
opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be
subject to a demand for division of the question in the House
or in the Committee of the Whole. The resolution waives all
points of order against the amendments printed in part A of
this report. The resolution provides one motion to recommit
with or without instructions.
Section 2 of the resolution provides for consideration of
H.R. 1654, the Water Supply Permitting Coordination Act, under
a structured rule. The resolution provides one hour of general
debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking
minority member of the Committee on Natural Resources. The
resolution waives all points of order against consideration of
the bill. The resolution makes in order as original text for
the purpose of amendment the amendment in the nature of a
substitute recommended by the Committee on Natural Resources
now printed in the bill and provides that it shall be
considered as read. The resolution waives all points of order
against that amendment in the nature of a substitute. The
resolution makes in order only those amendments printed in part
B of this report. Each such amendment may be offered only in
the order printed in this report, may be offered only by a
Member designated in this report, shall be considered as read,
shall be debatable for the time specified in this report
equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an
opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be
subject to a demand for division of the question in the House
or in the Committee of the Whole. The resolution waives all
points of order against the amendments printed in part B of
this report. The resolution provides one motion to recommit
with or without instructions.
EXPLANATION OF WAIVERS
Although the resolution waives all points of order against
consideration of H.R. 1873, the Committee is not aware of any
points of order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature.
Although the resolution waives all points of order against
the amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 1873 made
in order as original text, the Committee is not aware of any
points of order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature.
Although the resolution waives all points of order against
the amendments to H.R. 1873 printed in part A of this report,
the Committee is not aware of any points of order. The waiver
is prophylactic in nature.
Although the resolution waives all points of order against
consideration of H.R. 1654, the Committee is not aware of any
points of order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature.
Although the resolution waives all points of order against
the amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 1654 made
in order as original text, the Committee is not aware of any
points of order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature.
Although the resolution waives all points of order against
the amendments to H.R. 1654 printed in part B of this report,
the Committee is not aware of any points of order. The waiver
is prophylactic in nature.
SUMMARY OF THE AMENDMENTS TO H.R. 1873 IN PART A MADE IN ORDER
1. Carbajal (CA): Ensures that owners and operators of
electric transmission and distribution facilities submit
management plans to the Secretary. (10 minutes)
2. Sinema (AZ), Tipton (CO), Gosar (AZ), O'Halleran (AZ):
Ensures personnel of the Department of the Interior and the
Forest Service involved in vegetation management decisions on
transmission and distribution rights-of-way receive training on
how unmanned technologies can be used to identify vegetation
management needs, lower energy costs, and reduce the risk of
wildfires. (10 minutes)
3. Beyer (VA): Prohibits any loss of funds for wild-fire
suppression. (10 minutes)
SUMMARY OF THE AMENDMENTS TO H.R. 1654 IN PART B MADE IN ORDER
1. LaMalfa (CA): Aligns H.R. 1654 with WIIN Act (S. 612 of
the 114th Congress) provisions enhancing federal cooperation in
planning and construction of State-led water storage projects
by ensuring such projects are eligible for permit streamlining
under this bill. (10 minutes)
2. Lowenthal (CA): Exempts any dam projects from being
fast-tracked by the bill if it could harm commercial fisheries.
(10 minutes)
PART A--TEXT OF AMENDMENTS TO H.R.1873 MADE IN ORDER
1. An Amendment To Be Offered by Representative Carbajal of California
or His Designee, Debatable for 10 Minutes
Page 5, beginning on line 10, strike ``the Secretary and the
Secretary of Agriculture shall provide''.
Page 5, beginning on line 13, strike ``with the option to''
and insert ``shall''.
Page 5, beginning on line 16, strike ``plan, that at each
transmission or distribution owner or operator's discretion may
cover some or all'' and insert ``plan covering all''.
Page 6, beginning on line 1, strike ``The Secretaries shall
not have the authority to modify those requirements.''.
Page 6, beginning on line 10, strike ``and approval'' and
insert ``, approval, denial, or modification''.
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2. An Amendment To Be Offered by Representative Sinema of Arizona or
Her Designee, Debatable for 10 Minutes
Page 12, line 9, strike ``; and'' and insert a semicolon.
Page 12, line 16, strike the period and inserting ``; and''.
Page 12, after line 16, insert the following:
``(4) understand how existing and emerging unmanned
technologies can help electric utilities, Federal,
State, and local governments, and private landowners to
more efficiently identify vegetation management needs,
lower ratepayer energy costs, and reduce the risk of
wildfires.''.
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3. An Amendment To Be Offered by Representative Beyer of Virginia or
His Designee, Debatable for 10 Minutes
At the end of the bill, insert the following:
SEC. 3. NO LOSS OF FUNDS FOR WILD-FIRE SUPPRESSION.
Nothing in this Act or the amendments made by this Act shall
detract from the availability of funds or other resources for
wild-fire suppression.
1. An Amendment To Be Offered by Representative Carbajal of California
or His Designee, Debatable for 10 Minutes
PART B--TEXT OF AMENDMENTS TO H.R. 1654 MADE IN ORDER
1. An Amendment To Be Offered by Representative LaMalfa of California
or His Designee, Debatable for 10 Minutes
Page 4, line 2, after the period insert ``Such term shall
also include State-led projects (as defined in section
4007(a)(2) of the WIIN Act) for new surface water storage
projects in the States covered under the Act of June 17, 1902
(32 Stat. 388, chapter 1093), and Acts supplemental to and
amendatory of that Act (43 U.S.C. 371 et seq.) constructed on
lands administered by the Department of the Interior or the
Department of Agriculture, exclusive of any easement, right-of-
way, lease, or any private holding, unless the project
applicant elects not to participate in the process authorized
by this Act.''.
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2. An Amendment To Be Offered by Representative Lowenthal of California
or His Designee, Debatable for 10 Minutes
At the end of the bill, add the following:
SEC. 7. CONDITION ON APPLICABILITY.
This Act shall not apply to any project that the Secretary
determines could cause harm to commercial fisheries.
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